Shipping containers

ABSTRACT

A container particularly suitable for the shipment of compressed coil springs having a pair of crate sides each side comprising a coarse and a fine mesh grid, wherein the coarse mesh grid provides the strength necessary to maintain the spring units in the compressed state and the fine mesh grid prevents the contents from protruding through said crate sides.

United States Patent 1 1 [111 3,797,654 Spiller Mar. 19, 1974 SHIPPINGCONTAINERS 813,499 2/1906 Johnson 220 19 Inventor: Rex s. p ygwisl,887,226 11/1932 Wunderlich 100/289 [73] Asslgnee: 2g? s PrimaryExaminer-William T. Dixson, Jr.

e Oygan Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Merriam, Marshall, Shapiro [22] Filed:Jan. 10, 1972 & Klose 211 Appl. No.: 216,666

' [57] ABSTRACT 5 2] U S Cl ggg g A container particularly Suitable forthe shipment of [51] Int. Cum" 365d 7/20 365d 71/00 B65d /62 compressedcoil springs having a pair of crate sides [58] Field of Search 206/65 65B 83 each side comprising a coarse and a fine mesh grid, 220/15 whereinthe coarse mesh grid provides the strength necessary to maintain thespring units in the com- 56] References Cited pressed state and the timemesh grid prevents the contents from protruding through said cratesides. UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,973,090 2/1961 Dunlap 206/65 R 5 Claims,3 Drawing Figures 1 SHIPPING CONTAINERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Thepresent invention relates generally to reusable crating materials andmore particularly to rigid crate sides for packing and shipping severallayers of spring units such as box springs, and innerspring mattresses.

Such spring units comprise a single thickness of several rows of coilsprings bound together. The most advantageous way to ship or store suchspring units in terms of ease of handling and conservation of space isto compress a plurality of such units between facing crate sides. Due tothe large force harnessed when springs are compressed, the cratingmaterial must be very strong.

Presently used wooden crate sides do accomplish the major purpose ofsuch packing materials but have proved to be both inefficient, expensiveand dangerous for shipping, holding and storing springs in a compressedstate. Wood may crack or splinter when a package containing compressedmaterial is opened or damaged, in which case damage to the contents orinjury to the handler of the package may occur. As a result, the cost ofcartage insurance when wooden crating may be quite high.

In addition to disadvantages stemming primarily from the physicalproperties of wood, there is the added disadvantage of the cost involvedin the construction and repair of such crates. Since wooden crates arefrequently damaged during shipment or upon opening, they seldom can bereused.

The'disadvantages of the prior art wooden crate side are diminishedsignificantly by use of the present invention. Not only are containerswhich are made in accordance with the present invention durable andresilient, and, hence better able to protect their contents duringshipment, but the fact that such containers may be made of metaldecreases labor and replacement costs. Another important advantage ofthe present invention over the prior art is that the resulting packageswill be of uniform size with no broken'boards protruding therefrom. Thiswill facilitate loading and shipping and result in more efficientstorage both before and after shipment to the customer. The fact thatcrates of the present invention are thinner than the prior art deviceswillpermit a greater number of unused crates to be shipped and stored ina given space.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a shippingcontainer having a pair of crate sides each comprising a wire mesh orcombination of several wire meshes which when placed on either side ofmultiple layers of alternating spring constructions and heavy separatingpaper, compressed together, and secured with binding wire, will form acompact, sturdy unit for shipment.

Each of the crate sides of the present invention includes two grids, acoarse and a fine, each of which comprises a number of horizontal andvertical rod-like members securely joined together at the points ofintersection to form a screen-like unit.

The coarse grid is formed from heavier gauge rodlike members, whichprovide strength. The rod-like members of the fine grid, whose purposeis to prevent the compressed springs from protruding into or escap- 2ing through the spaces or interstices defined by the rodlike members ofthe coarse grid, are spaced such that the resulting fine gridinterstices are smaller than the end portion or base of the compressedspring.

The present invention is utilized in packaging springs by placing oneither side of the package a coarse and a fine grid unit in an openbaler, with the coarse grid to the exterior side of the fine grid ineach case. A baler is a device for compressing the sandwiched structureof crate sides, springs and separating paper and maintaining thematerial in that position until it can be secured. Approximately fifteenspring units may be placed between the two crate sides. The baler isclosed, compressing the entire sandwich into relatively thin package.Numerous lengths of baling wire are inserted through the sandwich andbent or wrapped to secure the crate sides together and thereby fix thesize of the space between the crate sides and maintain the package in acompressed position when the baler is released and until it is desiredto unpackage the spring units.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of the presentinvention showing the coarse mesh grid formed from rod-like members ofrelatively greater diameter in cooperation with a fine mesh grid formedfrom rod-like members of relatively lesser diameter.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side view along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 of acompressed package of spring units.

FIG. 3 is a magnified front view of a portion of the present inventionin use as a crate side of a compressed package of spring units.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to thedrawings wherein common numerals will be used throughout, FIG. 1 shows afront view of crate side 10 having superimposed grids 11 and 12.Although reference will hereinafter be made to both a coarse grid andfine grid, it is understood that a single grid may be employedpossessing both the qualities of strength required of the coarse gridand the ability to prevent the escape of the packaged material of thefine grid. Similarly, although reference is made to the horizontal andvertical relationship of the individual members of the grids, it isintended that grids composed of members intersecting at various angleswill be suitable.

Grid 11 is a comparatively coarse mesh and grid 12 is a comparativelyfine mesh. Coarse mesh grid 1 1 comprises horizontal rod-like members11', which are spaced at a uniform distance parallel to each other andvertical rod-like members 11', which are also spaced uniformly parallelto each other.

Members 11 and 11" intersect at points 11 and define a plurality ofinterstices l3. lntersecting members ll' and 11" are permanently joinedby welding or the like.

Fine mesh grid 12 consists of a plurality of horizontal and verticalrod-like members 12', 12" secured together at their intersections 12"and defining a plurality of interstices 14. A greater number of members12, 12" are employed per given area than members ll, 11".

Although grids 11 and 12 may be of a wide range of spacing, both regularand irregular, and comparative size, it is preferred that members 11',ll, 12' and 12" be arranged so that throughout crate side there are thesame number of interstices 14 in interstices 13. The overall size of thecrate side 10 will be determined by the size of box springs orinnerspring mattress 23 to be shipped.

Referring to FIG. 3, coil springs 21 are shown bound together by meansof helical tiefwires 22 and border wires (not shown) to form a springunit 23. Although spring unit 23 employing springs of differentconfigurations may be packaged with the subject invention, the springsherein shown are of the double volute type developed from a singlestrand of wire to form bases 24 of given diameter at either end thereof.The spacing of members 12 and 12" is such that they define intersticessmall enough to prevent the protrusion therethrough of springs 21, i.e.,the diameter of base 24 of coil spring 21 is greater than the length ofthe sides defining interstices 14.

Fine grid 12 is disposed between coarse grid 11 and spring units 23.Members 11, 11" of grid 11 must be of sufficient size and strength towithstand the pressure generated by a plurality of compressed springunits 23.

Referring to FIG. 2, a plurality of spring units 23 are shown compressedbetween facing crate sides 10 to form package 30 for shipment.

In a specific embodiment of the present invention, a pair of crate sides10 are utilized to package approximately innerspring mattress units.Coarse grid 11 is made of 3/8 inch diameter rods in a 4 inch X 4 inch or6 inch X 6 inch mesh (as shown here). Fine grid 12 is 14 gauge rodarranged in a 2 inch X 2 inch mesh. Suitable crate sides may befashioned from steel reinforcing bars. Grid 12 is welded to coarse grid11 although the method of joining grids 11 and 12 is not critical.

To form a completed package, a first crate side 10 is placed on a balerwith fine grid 11 facing upwardly. Spring units 23 are placed on top ofsaid first crate side 10 with a sheet of 50 lb. kraft paper placedbetween every two such spring units 23. After all 15 spring units havebeen placed on first crate side 10, second crate side 10 is placed overstacked spring units 23 with fine grid 12 located between the coarsegrid 11 and said spring units 23. The baler is then activated touniformly compress all of the coil springs 21 of spring units 23. Whilethe baler maintains coil springs 21 in a compressed state, a series ofbaling wires 26 are inserted through the first crate side 10, throughthe compressed spring units 23 and second crate side 10 and may be tiedaround the package or the rod-like elements 11', 11" of crate sides 10in order to secure the package by limiting the maximum space betweensaid crate sides 10. Preferably, baling wires 26 should be tied over thejunction 11 of coarse grid 11 (see FIG. 3). The package should bemaintained in the compressed state by employing approximately balingwires 26 of 12 gauge annealed wire.

The above description is made for purposes of illustration only. It isunderstood that others skilled in the art will make modifications inthis illustration, which modifications will remain within the scope ofthe invention hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for containing compressed material said device comprising apair of spaced crate sides and means for fixing the maximum spacebetween said crate sides, each of said crate sides comprising:

a coarse steel grid formed from a first set of members extending in afirst direction, a second set of members extending in a second directionintersecting said first set of members, said coarse steel grid ofsufficient strength to withstand the forces generated by said compressedmaterial; and

a fine steel grid formed from a first set of members extending in afirst direction, a second set of members extending in a second directionintersecting said first set of members, said first and second set ofmembers defining a plurality of interstices, the size of saidinterstices being such to prevent the protrusion of compressed materialthrough said crate sides.

2. A device for containing a plurality of compressed spring units, eachof said units comprising a plurality of coil springs each of said coilsprings having a base, said device comprising:

first and second crate sides each of said first and second crate sidescomprising, a coarse steel grid formed from a first set of membersextending in a first direction, a second set of members extending in asecond direction intersecting said first set of members said coarsesteel grid of sufficient strength to withstand forces generated by saidcompressed spring units, and a line steel grid formed from a first setof members extending in a first direction, a second set of membersextending in a second direction intersecting said first set of memberssaid first and second set of members defining a plurality of intersticeslimited in size to prevent the protrusion therethrough of said coilsprings; and

means extending between said first and second crate sides to limit themaximum space therebetween.

3. The device described in claim 2 wherein said first and second set ofintersecting longitudinal members are attached at their points ofintersection.

4. The device described in claim 2 wherein said coarse grid and saidfine grid are fixed in relationship to each other.

5. A device for containing a plurality of compressed spring units, eachof said units comprising a plurality of coiled springs, each of saidcoiled springs having a base, said device comprising:

first and second crate sides, each of said first and second crate sidescomprising a single steel grid formed from a first set of membersextending in a first direction, a, second set of members extending in asecond direction, intersecting said first set of members, said steelgrid of sufficient strength to withstand forces generated by saidcompressed spring unit, and defining a plurality of interstices limitedin size to prevent the protrusion therethrough of said base of said coilsprings; and

means extending between said first and second crate sides to limit themaximum space therebetween.

1. A device for containing compressed material said device comprising apair of spaced crate sides and means for fixing the maximum spacebetween said crate sides, each of said crate sides comprising: a coarsesteel grid formed from a first set of members extending in a firstdirection, a second set of members extending in a second directionintersecting said first set of members, said coarse steel grid ofsufficient strength to withstand the forces generated by said compressedmaterial; and a fine steel grid formed from a first set of membersextending in a first direction, a second set of members extending in asecond direction intersecting said first set of members, said first andsecond set of members defining a plurality of interstices, the size ofsaid interstices being such to prevent the protrusion of compressedmaterial through said crate sides.
 2. A device for containing aplurality of compressed spring units, each of said units comprising aplurality of coil springs each of said coil springs having a base, saiddevice comprising: first and second crate sides each of said first andsecond crate sides comprising, a coarse steel grid formed from a firstset of members extending in a first direction, a second set of membersextending in a second direction intersecting said first set of memberssaid coarSe steel grid of sufficient strength to withstand forcesgenerated by said compressed spring units, and a fine steel grid formedfrom a first set of members extending in a first direction, a second setof members extending in a second direction intersecting said first setof members said first and second set of members defining a plurality ofinterstices limited in size to prevent the protrusion therethrough ofsaid coil springs; and means extending between said first and secondcrate sides to limit the maximum space therebetween.
 3. The devicedescribed in claim 2 wherein said first and second set of intersectinglongitudinal members are attached at their points of intersection. 4.The device described in claim 2 wherein said coarse grid and said finegrid are fixed in relationship to each other.
 5. A device for containinga plurality of compressed spring units, each of said units comprising aplurality of coiled springs, each of said coiled springs having a base,said device comprising: first and second crate sides, each of said firstand second crate sides comprising a single steel grid formed from afirst set of members extending in a first direction, a second set ofmembers extending in a second direction, intersecting said first set ofmembers, said steel grid of sufficient strength to withstand forcesgenerated by said compressed spring unit, and defining a plurality ofinterstices limited in size to prevent the protrusion therethrough ofsaid base of said coil springs; and means extending between said firstand second crate sides to limit the maximum space therebetween.